


FebuWhump 2019

by PeterNeedsAHugParker



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Day Nine: Coma, Day six: torture, Dehumanization, Febuwhump, I actually dont know how to tag this one, Iron dad and Spider son, Mind the Tags, Misunderstandings, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Protective Tony Stark, Sensory Deprivation, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Uhhhh..., day eight: bullied, day five: major character death, day four: "where are you?", day one: trapped, day seven: imprisoned, day three: taken, day two: peer pressure, part of febuwhump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-20 13:42:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17623448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeterNeedsAHugParker/pseuds/PeterNeedsAHugParker
Summary: My addition for @SpiderSonAngst (found on Tumblr) FebuWhump prompts. Including our favorite father-son pair: Peter Parker and Tony Stark.Latest Chapter? Day Nine: ComaAll Tony knows in those first few moments is panic. Pure, raw panic that he feels through his very core. Winding throughout his body, and making him vibrate as Happy rushed him back to the compound. This couldn’t have happened. It was some sick joke that the universe was playing on him.Because Rhodey could not have picked Peter up from a patrol gone horribly wrong. Peter could not have gotten shot three times. Tony could not have not gotten the call because the meeting he had been in didn’t allow phones. Because Peter was not in a fucking coma.And because the last conversation Tony had had with the kid had most definitely not been a stupid argument.





	1. Day One: Trapped

After all that he’d been through with the Spider-Kid, Tony was used to FRIDAY informing him that Peter had arrived in the middle of the night. The kid had grown on Tony. With his sarcastic remarks and protective nature hidden behind a soft and shy exterior, Peter had quickly become part of the inventor’s self made family. 

 

This meaning, Tony was always, without a doubt, concerned when Peter payed him a midnight visit. “What’s Pete doing here, FRIDAY?” Tony asked his AI while walking to the elevator. He didn’t mind when Peter payed him visits, it was honestly something he looked forward to, but visits this time of night meant that he was injured. 

 

_ ‘It seems that Mr. Parker is in distress, Boss,’ _ FRIDAY answered. 

 

Tony felt the elevator go faster with FRIDAY’s obvious concern. “Distress?” Tony asked, “Contact Bruce. Do you know what’s going on with him?”

 

_ ‘No, Boss. My sensors aren’t picking anything up besides a few bruises.’ _

 

The elevator door slid open, and Tony was immediately taken aback from the whimpering noise coming from behind the other side of the couch. He quickly made his way over to the source, sucking in a sharp breath at the image that lay itself out before him. 

 

Peter was trembling on the space in between the table and the couch, scratching at his wrists with his eyes clenched closed. His breaths came out in choked gasps, and Tony could see the vigilante’s mask by the window he must have entered through. 

 

“Peter,” Tony breathes out before rushing to move the coffee table away so Peter wouldn’t injure himself further. “Peter, Kid, it’s me-”

 

“No, no please s-stop it.  _ Please _ ,” Peter whimpered out. He finally opened his eyes, and Tony seemed to forget how to breathe when he saw the kid’s eyes. Peter’s normally wide, full of emotion brown eyes that reminded Tony of Bambi were spaced out. They were full of tears, and it was obvious that Peter was seeing something that wasn’t there. 

 

“Peter- Bud, it’s me. It’s Tony, I’m right here,” Tony tried. The billionaire grabbed the younger’s wrist when he tried to scratch at his neck.

 

“Help me, somebody h-help me- me,” Peter sobbed out. 

 

Tony gently shushed to boy, trying his hardest to hold the Peter’s wrists down, but Peter had super strength and Tony didn’t. 

 

“Tony? What happened?” Bruce’s voice echoed from the elevator. The scientist gasped when he rounded the couch, and he rushed over to Peter’s other side, “What happened?”

 

“I- I don’t know!” Tony exclaimed, “FRIDAY gave me an alert that Peter was here, and I found him like this!”

 

“Okay, Tony, you need to calm down.”

 

“ _ Calm down? _ ” Tony hissed with more venom than he meant. “Bruce I can’t- I can’t just  _ calm down _ . That’s my  _ kid _ .” If Tony wasn’t panicking he would have felt bad on how he was talking to his friend, but as it was his mind was in to much of a frenzy.

 

Still, Bruce stayed calm. The doctor put his hands up as a sign of peace and spoke once more, “Alright. I get it, but you need to calm down enough to help me get him to the med bay.”

 

Tony nodded and activated his suit which quickly formed around him. He picked up his kid, and followed Bruce into the elevator with a now thrashing Peter. “Let me go, please- please let me go!” Peter sobbed out, arms thrashing before Tony shifted to hold them down. 

 

Tony gently rocked the kid in his arms as he whispered soothing assurances in the shaking figure’s ear, “It’s okay, Pete. I’m going to fix this, I swear.”

 

The elevator door opened to reveal the med bay, and Tony sprinted to one of the beds, Bruce following while telling FRIDAY things Tony wasn’t following. Tony gently set Peter down, holding his shoulders down to make sure Peter didn’t try to start scratching at his own wrists again. 

 

Tony only looked away when he saw Bruce walking over with padded cuffs. “What are those for?” Tony asked even though he already knew the answer.

 

Bruce cast a look of regret at the still sobbing Peter before looking back at Tony to reply, “We need to draw blood to find out what’s happening and find out a cure. You can’t keep holding him down like this.”

 

“He has super strength, Bruce. He’ll break those things easily,” Tony gritted out, tired after having to try and hold Peter down. Tony was losing energy, but it was clear Peter wasn’t. He loathed to admit it, but the cuffs were the only option since they hadn’t created anything that worked on the kid to calm him down for situations like this.

 

“They’d hold down Steve,” Bruce reasoned. “Tony, I know that you know this is one of our only options, and if we're going to work on this, we’re working on this as quickly as possible. You have to realize this.”

 

Tony purses his lips. Bruce was right, Tony wouldn’t be able to keep holding the kid down, and they needed to start finding a cure. “Alright,” Tony grunted, “Start with his wrists. We’ll work our way down to his ankles after.”

 

It was an absolute nightmare of a process to cuff and draw blood from Peter, a kid that Tony had grown very close to over the time they’d spent together. To listen to Peter’s wails and sobs and pleading to  _ stop stop please no more- _ . Guilt burned throughout Tony’s entire being, digging it’s nasty claws into the inventor’s soul, as Peter struggled against the bonds. “I’m so sorry, Peter,” Tony whispered in a broken tone as he stepped back.

 

“Tony come on,” Bruce interrupted hurriedly. 

 

“I’m not- I can’t leave him alone, Bruce!” 

 

“We’ll call someone in, but if we want to fix this we should fix it as fast as possible,” Bruce answered, “I’ve already called in for a couple people to be in here, let’s go.” Bruce pulled Tony along with him, and out of the room.

* * *

It two hours later that they inject Peter with the cure. It’s an two hours and thirty minutes later where Peter is finally calm enough for the cuffs to be taken off where his skin is slightly red and bruised. It’s the three and a half hour mark when Peter finally opens his eyes. 

 

Tony immediately perks up from his chair where he was attempting (and failing) to work on some blue prints. Peter’s eyes were dazed, but he still somehow looked to be more… in the moment than they were almost five hours ago. 

 

“Mis’er S’ark?” Peter manages out. His voice is still scratchy from the stress it had been under for a long period of time. 

 

“Hey Pete,” Tony reaches over to move a stray curl, “You with us now, Spiderling?”

 

Peter hummed, and Tony helped him sit up, and passed him a cup full of water when the younger noticed the pitcher. “What happened?” Peter asked softly after taking a few sips.

 

Tony hummed as he filled the cup back up, “What do you remember?”

 

It took several seconds before Peter answered. Eyes focused on the blanket, and reaching for memories. Finally, Peter cleared his throat to answer, “I was patrolling… there was this guy. He was- was harassing this girl and I went to go… to go  _ help _ ‘cause that’s what I- what I do and-”

 

Tony gently shushed the kid and took the paper cup from his hands when he saw Peter slightly shivering. “It’s okay, it’s okay Peter. Do you remember what happened next?”

 

Tony watched Peter as his breathing became rapid and out of control. His eyes were wide, panicked, and losing focus. “I- he threw some kind of…  _ powder  _ in my face. I remember coming to the tower, but I don’t-” Peter cut himself off with a sob, and looked into Tony’s eyes before closing them as he covered his mouth with a shaking hand.

 

“Peter…” Tony started before he realized he didn’t know what to say to comfort his mentee. So, putting his phone down, the mentor sat down next to Peter and wrapped his arms around the kid. He rocked the teen back and forth rubbing small circles with his thumb on the younger’s arm as he sobbed. “What happened, Peter,” Tony mumbled into Peter’s curls, “What did you see?”

 

It took a few minutes of just Peter’s cried slowly lowering in volume. Peter hid his face into Tony’s shoulder as he stuttered out an explanation, “I was- I was trapped, Mr. Stark. I was trapped in this horrible loop of the worst times of my life, and-“ Peter took in a big breath- “I was trapped in my mind, Mr. Stark and I couldn’t get out-” 

 

Peter breaks out into sobs once more, and Tony does nothing but let the kid let it all out. He holds the kid as he trembles, and combs his fingers through Peter’s tangled curls. He doesn’t know what Peter saw, he doesn’t know what Peter counts as ‘ _ the worst days of his life’ _ , but he does know that the kid has had some pretty horrible things happen to him in his short life on Earth. 

 

Tony lets Peter cry into his shoulders, because he knows that Peter needs to cry. He knows Peter can’t grow up believing the toxic saying that is  _ ‘Stark men are made of iron’ _ , and he just… Tony knows, okay?

 

Neither of them know how long Peter was crying into his mentor’s shoulder, but Tony doesn’t stop combing his fingers through Peter’s hair even after the teen had slumped in exhaustion. “I’ve got you, Peter,” Tony mumbles is assurance. “I got you.”

 

Peter doesn’t give a verbal response, but he does squeeze Tony a little tighter for a second before returning the original amount of force used. It was an obvious message.  _ I know. _

 

Tony had him.

 

And Peter knew.

 


	2. Day Two: Peer Pressure

Looking back on it, it wasn’t the worst thing that Peter could have done. It wasn’t the worst thing Peter  _ has _ done. Really, Peter went out almost every night and stopped crime, so why was he getting yelled at for sneaking out of a hotel room with his decathlon team to go swimming. He’d missed out on doing so last year because of Spider-Man. This year, he had left his suit back at home with May.

 

Peter hadn’t even planned on going outside of his hotel room, instead thinking that he’d study his notes for the competition that was the next day, and going to sleep at what would (for once) be a reasonable hour. 

 

It’s just- there was a knock on Ned and Peter’s room door, and he hadn’t expected it to be Abe standing there with the rest of the team creeping past. Abe had hurriedly told them that they were going to the pool once again to practice as a team that M.J had surprisingly agreed to. And since the whole team was there… Peter missed enough practices anyways. He could go and hang out with the others as a team bonding… thing.

 

Ten minutes later Peter found himself on Ned’s shoulders as he went up against his teammates in a game of chicken grab. An hour and fifty minutes later, Peter and the rest of the team stand getting told off and scolded by Mr. Harrington. 

 

The day they get back from _winning_ _the competition_ Mr. Stark picks Peter up instead of May who was out of state because of work. Peter and his teammates had all shared the growing dread of getting picked up, the bus ride back had been silent as everyone had chosen to communicate through the group chat they had. They were unified in the fact that they were all probably going to get in trouble when they got back, and wouldn’t stop sending what they wanted their funeral to be like.

 

As they got off the bus, they all shared one more glance of,  _ ‘If I don’t see you on Monday, you know what happened,’ _ and went their separate ways. They were a team that spent hours with each other a week after school. They knew how to have silent conversations.

 

Peter trudged over to the sleek car that was waiting for him. Happy had been leaning on the side of the car, peeking his eyes up at Peter over his glasses. Peter met his eyes for a second before returning his gaze to the ground. He didn’t want to see the disappointment or disapproval in the man’s eyes. He’d already almost worked himself into a panic attack on the bus thinking about how angry Mr. Stark would be.

 

Happy motioned with his head to climb in the back and took Peter’s bag from his hands. The teen mumbled a small thank you and climbed in the back. He didn’t even notice that there was another person in the back with him until he had fully closed the door and put on his seat belt. 

 

“H-Hi, Mr. Stark,” Peter stuttered out. 

 

Tony put his glasses on and sighed, “Wanna tell me what happened on the trip?” 

 

Peter’s fingers twitched as he looked for something to fidget nervously with. That sigh absolutely  _ radiated  _ disappointment, and Peter almost wished that Tony would just yell again. The silent disapproval was a hundred times worse. “We, um… we won?” Peter answered, not looking at Tony. 

 

“And what else happened?”

 

“We, uh- we went to the pool?” Peter cautiously glanced at Tony. He could tell the older man was staring at him even with those glasses on, and Peter hated it.

 

“And…” 

 

Peter sucked in a breath. Why couldn’t this have waited until after the car ride? He didn’t even have an escape strategy in a car other than jumping out of it, and that wasn’t something he really wanted to try today. “We snuck out of our rooms and went to the pool,” Peter admitted quietly.

 

“There you go!” Tony’s voice dripped with false enthusiasm, and it made Peter close in on himself. Why wouldn’t Tony just  _ yell at him _ . “You know you weren’t supposed to be out after ten, Pete. Why’d you go with the others?”

 

Peter just shrugged without moving his sights from the car floor, because the excuse of  _ ‘Everyone else was doing it!’ _ seemed really stupid.

 

Apparently Tony didn’t really like that because the next time he spoke his voice was sharp,  _ “Peter.” _

 

Peter felt a sting behind his eyes, and blinked the feeling away. He couldn’t trust himself to answer without his voice cracking, or bursting into tears because the disappointment was enough for Peter to accidentally bend his zipper that he was fiddling with.

 

He wanted to explain that it wasn’t only the fact that everyone else was doing it. It was the fact that he wanted to  _ bond with his team _ . He wanted to explain that he’d been putting his team to the sidelines in favor of being Spider-Man for way too long. That Peter had just wanted to spend time with people his age because he wanted to actually act his age for once. That the little less than two hours he had spent at the pool was the most fun Peter had had in a long time. 

 

He wanted to explain it all, but the words felt stuck in his throat.

 

Tony must have took his silence as an act of stubbornness, because he snapped at Peter, “Peter,  _ answer me _ .”

 

Peter opened his mouth to speak, but the only thing that came out was a small noise. He closed it again, took a deep breath without looking at his angry mentor, and opened his mouth again, “I… I just wanted to have some fun with my friends.”

 

_ Fuck _ . That had been a stupid excuse. He was going to get the suit taken away again, and he was going to lose the internship again, and he without the suit he would get injured because  _ who knows  _ how many times KAREN had saved his ass. He really wouldn’t be showing up to school on Monday, huh?

 

“That’s a poor excuse and you know it, Peter,” Tony nearly growled, “Tell me the real reason.”

 

Peter felt irritation swell in his chest. That was the real reason! “I’m telling the truth,” Peter mumbled, hating himself for how weak the protest come out. 

 

_ “Peter.” _

 

“I am!” Peter defended, not able to keep quiet about it. He could handle being yelled at, really he could, but he couldn’t handle his fath- his  _ mentor _ thinking that he was lying. He hadn’t done anything for the older man to believe that he had been lying.

 

“Peter,” Tony started, “If someone’s pressuring you then-” 

 

“Nobody was pressuring me!” Peter growled, turning to finally meet the billionaire’s eyes. “I was invited to go to the pool, with my team who I don’t spend enough time with  _ anyways _ , and I accepted! Why is that so hard to believe?”

 

“Because I didn’t think that you were one to do things like this, Peter!” Tony replies in a loud voice.

 

“How come?” Peter demanded, “Is it because I’m  _ Spider-Man _ ?”

 

“No, it’s because you’re Peter Parker!”

 

“Sorry to break it to you, Mr. Stark, but Peter Parker and Spider-Man are the same person,” The teen hissed, even if he didn’t fully believe the statement himself. He’d spent more hours than he could count just thinking if Spider-Man could just…  _ be Spider-Man _ without Peter Parker. 

 

Tony just looked at the younger with wide eyes as if he’d just made a devastating realization. Maybe it was because the tears Peter had been holding back had finally fallen, but he didn’t have a reply to what Peter had said. Peter sniffed, horrified at himself for crying.

 

“I just… I just wanted to have some fun with my friends,” Peter repeated quietly as he turned to look away from the older man. 

 

“Oh,” Tony whispered. 

 

_ Oh? _ What was that supposed to mean? Was he going to take away the suit?  _ ‘He probably is,’ _ Peter thought sharply to himself,  _ ‘Who wants a hero that breaks rules just hang out with some friends?’ _ A small part of Peter screamed that a lot of people did just that. That it was normal thing for a teenager to do.

 

Then there was also the fact that Peter just wasn’t a normal teenager. He couldn’t afford to break the rules just for the fun of it. He already risked enough if that just by being some web slinging vigilante. 

 

“Pete,” Tony’s voice was noticeably softer, “Was it really just to have some fun?”

 

Peter nodded sharply.

 

Tony took a deep breath, and Peter prepared himself for it. For his suit to be taken away because he couldn’t follow simple instructions yet again.

 

Instead, Tony said something completely different, “Okay.” It was a whisper, and Tony leaned back in his seat without another noise.

 

Peter had to correct himself. Silence was worse than fake pity. 

 

“Okay?” He couldn’t help but wonder. 

 

Tony nodded, and took his glasses off, “Yeah… okay.”

 

Peter glanced up, and met his mentor’s eyes. What did he mean by, ‘Okay’? Was there something that Peter was missing here? 

 

Tony took another deep breath, “That… wasn't fair of me to do. Not believe you, I mean. You haven’t done anything to make me doubt you like that.”

 

Peter swallowed while turning his body to face the apologizing man more. “It’s okay,” He muttered weakly even though it wasn’t.

 

Tony shook his head, agreeing with Peter’s silent thought, “No… not it wasn’t okay. I should’ve believed you. You have just a right as anyone to act your age.” 

 

“I still shouldn’t have broken the rule.”

 

A shrug, “It was a small rule. I mean, swimming in a pool that doesn’t go past six feet? You and your friends would have been fine.”

 

Peter gave Tony a disbelieving once over before turning his view back outside the window. “You’re sure you’re okay with what happened? I’m not, like- grounded or something?”

 

Tony raised an eyebrow, “Do you want to be grounded?” Peter quickly shook his head and Tony chuckled, “You’re fine, Pete.” Peter sighed in relief and slouched a bit. Finally slowing himself to relax from the tense bus ride back. 

 

Tony clapped his hands suddenly and grinned, “Now. Want to go get some ice-cream?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for all of the support! Don’t forget to comment, kudo, and all that fun stuff! 
> 
> Up next, Day Three: Taken.


	3. Day Three: Taken

It starts with what is supposed to be a normal, boring convention. Tony had only brought Peter along with him because he knew the kid would love to go and meet some of the people he learned about in class. People who had made science related discoveries, and people who had written their own books on scientific theories that Peter loved to go on and on about.

 

And Peter did manage to do that. Tony had let the younger wander around on his own, keeping Peter in his line of sight just in case, and occasionally went up to him remind him to eat. Other than that, Tony gave the kid some space. Maybe, but he’d never admit it, he’d secretly snap a picture to send the group chat he had with Happy, Pepper, May, and Rhodey. 

 

It started like that.

 

So why in the world was he sitting in the back seat in the midst of a panic attack with Rhodey comforting him?

 

“Tones,” Rhodey says softly as he rubs the shaken man’s back with worry, “Tones, you gotta explain to me what happened. We need to know what you know to find out who took Peter.”

 

Tony took a deep breath to try and do just that. He squeezed his best friend’s hand in an attempt to get anchored to his surroundings, and clenched his eyes shut. He needed to focus. He needed to play the part of the witness, and he needed to get his priorities straight. 

 

And his number one priority at that moment was getting Peter back. 

 

“Okay,” Tony managed out, “Okay I’m ready to talk about it.”

 

Rhodey, the bestest best friend in the entire world (Tony really needed to get him a mug with that saying on it), passed Tony a water bottle, “Start at the beginning, Tony. Whenever you’re ready.”

 

Tony takes a large gulp of water, and shakily twists the cap on before putting it in one of the cup holders. He opens his mouth, and starts to weave together the events of what happened.

 

  * ••



 

“Why do I have to wear a  _ suit _ , Mr. Stark?” Peter whined, pulling at the tie he had managed to put on. “It’s not like this is a formal thing, right?”

 

Tony scoffed good naturally, making sure to smirk at Peter to let the kid know that there was nothing harsh behind the noise, “This convention will have some of the brightest minds in America here, Pete. People dress to impress.”

 

A roll of the eyes paired with a smile, “I doubt that these people  _ ‘dressed to impress’ _ when they discovered some of the most advanced research of the decade.”

 

“Yeah, well,” Tony straightened out his protégés tie, “They’re going to  _ ‘dress to impress’ _ when presenting the stuff.”

 

“‘Cause they’re scientists and inventors?” Peter smirked.

 

“‘Cause they’re scientists and inventors,” Tony agreed with a nod.

 

Peter laughed, and swatted Tony’s hands away, “We don’t have to stay there for long, right?” Is smile was a little more uneasy now, and his eyes had that Bambi look to them that could be compared to puppy dog eyes. 

 

“Give me the word, and we’re out of there,” Tony assured. “Now let’s go. Don’t want to be late.”

 

Peter smiled up at Tony, and Tony smiled back. He had started to grow closer to the kid after the events of Homecoming. There were the lab meetings, and the movie nights where Pepper would come watch and Tony felt a feeling of wholeness that he didn’t know was missing. He never focused on the feeling long enough to identify it. He already knew, deep down he already knew, that those feelings were parental. Although he never really… accepted the parental feelings he knew he had. He just wasn’t read for it.

 

Tony put a hand on the younger’s shoulder, and led him to the car where Happy was waiting. “You ready?” Happy asks, making eye contact with the two with the rearview mirror. 

 

Peter eagerly nods, and Tony nods. “You saw the eager head nod, Haps. Let’s go,” Tony smirks. “And play my soundtrack?” Happy rolled his eyes, and pressed the button to roll the divider up. Peter giggled, and they ended up listening to music on their phones. 

 

When they get to the convention center, Peter’s eyes grow wider than they already were as he took everything in. Tony had once toyed with the idea of Peter having photographic memory, but never really asked about it. He was soon pulled over to a table that hosted someone that Tony vaguely remembered studied space. 

 

The rest of the time went like that. Tony had faded back, following Peter around, but never actually interrupting Peter’s few conversations with the other brilliant minds in the building. He drifted over to Peter a few times to remind him to drink water, but never interfered with anything else Peter chose to do. 

 

Tony was talking to one of the smaller-funded companies that had come to get some advertisement with the people who worked in this field when he saw it. Peter had tensed up, and nervously excused himself from the conversation he’d been having before starting to make his way over to him. 

 

Peter had barely taken five steps in Tony’s direction before the scream followed by a ring of bullets echoed throughout the room. Everyone immediately kneeled close to the ground, and Tony snapped his head over to where Peter was on the ground. The kid’s eyes were wide, but this time they were full of fear instead of amazement or wonder. 

 

The kid had once told Tony that Peter wore a full face mask so the people he fought wouldn’t know what he was feeling by his facial expressions. Tony could understand that as the kid was naturally expressive, especially when he was scared, but Tony had never really seen true and utter fear on the kid’s face until now. 

 

He hated it. 

 

_ ‘Stay low,’ _ Tony mouthed to Peter, who nodded once sharply, before clutching the sobbing woman’s hand the sat next to him. 

 

“Alright everyone, we’ll make this nice and easy,” The man yelled even though the room was already deathly silent. “We don’t care about any of the valuable items you have on your person. We don’t even care about the money you probably have. We just want one, very special person!” The heavy footsteps seemed to bounce around the room. “So don’t you worry your smart little heads,” The same man continued, his voice seemed to grow more metallic.

 

Tony looked over to see all the people who had burst in with gas masks over their faces. The man who was speaking adjusted the one on his face before finishing his thought sinisterly, “Because unless you work for Tony Stark you’ll be just fine.”

 

Tony met Peter’s panicked eyes once more, but before he could do anything else, gas filled the room. Tony collapsed to the ground, the last thing he saw before the darkness took him, was Peter stumbling to the ground.

 

When Tony woke up to Rhodey shining a light into his eyes it had taken him a while to remember what had happened. When he did he had looked Rhodey dead in the eye, gripping his best friend’s shirt so roughly he was sure it ripped he gasped out, “Peter? Where’s Peter?”

 

Rhodey shook his head, and Tony felt his very soul leave his body. “I’m sorry, Tony,” Rhodey said softly, “They took him.”

 

It started like that.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry everyone! This chapter plot will continue all the way until day five. 
> 
> Up next though? Day four: "Where Are You?". 
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for reading, and until next time!


	4. Day Four: "Where Are You?"

It continues like this.

 

Multiple statements. Reliving his mistake over and over again, until Tony can say the story without even thinking about it. Until he can go on autopilot, and think about the scene from all angles to find  _ something  _ that will help. 

 

More words, more questions, more time wasted. 

 

“Tony?” Pepper gently asks, snapping Tony out of his thoughts. “Are you… do you need a break?”

 

Right, he was in another round of questioning. With another round of people who thought they could get any new information out of Tony even though he had already repeated everything half a dozen times. 

 

“I cannot do this anymore,” Tony answers. He looks back at the officer who looked startled at his admission, “Sorry, I’m not up for this. You want the same statement that I’ve  _ already given _ ? Go talk to the other cops that have it. I’ve already said everything I know.”

 

With that, Tony stood up from the table, walked out of the room, and back to his lab. He needed to see the scene again. He needed to see what he missed. Tony was a genius. He could figure this out.

 

Soon, a 3D layout of the setting two seconds after the gun shots originally rang out was laying out before Tony. The first thing Tony noticed was the place where he had paused the footage was the moment he had made eye contact with Peter. Clearing his head from the horrible thoughts that occurred to him ( _ That was it. That’s the last time you ever saw him.) _ he fast forwarded the scene until Peter was giving his silent comfort to the woman next to him. 

 

“Okay, let’s see just who you people are…” Tony murmured to himself. He walked over to the person who must have been talking. 

 

An inch or so taller than he was, wrinkles around the center of his eyebrows… Tony could see bits of a mustache with gray hairs before a black cloth covered the lower half of the man’s face. A dark colored beanie covered the sicko’s hair, and Tony walked behind the male to see nothing peek out of the hat. The parts Tony could see were shaven. 

 

“So you’re a military man…” Tony murmured, typing the idea out on the holographic notepad on his arm. “But why would you need to cover the top of your head?”

 

“A tattoo?” Rhodey’s voice asked. Tony turned his head to see his friend leaning against the door frame with two water bottles. “A particular shape shaved into his hair?”

 

“Possibly,” Tony confirmed with a nod, adding the idea to his notepad. He looked back over at Rhodey, “Anything new?”

 

Rhodey pursed his lips and shook his head, “No. nothing yet.” Tony growled and looked back over to the man he was studying. “Tones,” Rhodey voiced. He was close enough to put a reassuring hand on Tony’s shoulder, “We’ll find him. We’ll get him back.”

 

“How? We don’t even know who these guys are,” Tony retorted. “All we know is that they wanted…” Tony’s stopped speaking as realization dawned on him.

 

“Tony? Tony, what did they want?” Rhodey gripped the other man’s shoulder tighter. “Tony, did you remember something else?”

 

“No! It’s something I’ve completely been overlooking this  _ entire time _ ,” Tony rushed out. “FRIDAY! Pull up all of the logos, and brand marks of all the companies and people we denied partnerships or cut off partnerships with in the last… ten years.”

 

_ ‘On it, Boss,’ _ FRIDAY replied immediately. Soon an array of about five hundred logos popped up in front of Tony and Rhodey.  _ ‘What next?’ _

 

Tony felt a spark of pride ignite in his chest towards his AI. He circled the strange gunman, until he noticed the small symbol on the dirt near the base of his neck. He zoomed in on the image, and put it next to the array of logos. “Now cross reference those for at least a 52% match.”

 

_ ‘Yes sir.’ _

 

“Tones, what are you looking for, man?” Rhodey questioned once again. 

 

“They’re looking for someone that works for me. Now what were we always worried about before you found out that I had at least two body guards watching me every time we’d walk to another class back at MIT?”

 

Rhodey’s eyes widened, “You’re saying they took him for ransom?”

 

Tony shook his head, “It’s more likely they took him because they knew he worked close to me. He’d know things like passwords, and security. Blueprints and future plans.”

 

“So they took him for… information?”

 

“That’s my guess. So they’ll need him alive. We need to look for him because who knows what his captors will do to him when he doesn’t comply to their demands.”

 

“What makes you think that he won’t comply?” Rhodey asked. “Tones, I know you have a lot of faith in the kid, but come on. He’s barely sixteen.”

 

“You’ve met the kid, Rhodes,” Tony grumbled, “He won’t sell out any informa-”

 

_ ‘Boss, someone is hacking into one of the files.’ _

 

Tony met his friends equally panicked eyes. As much as Rhodey worried, he knew Peter would have to be forced to give away  _ any _ information regarding his loved ones. He wouldn’t do it without any pain being a motivator. “What files, FRI?” Tony questioned in a weak voice. 

 

_ ‘One of Peter’s files. The file is labeled  _ **_Project: Look At All Those Chickens_ ** _.’ _

 

Rhodey shared a bewildered look with Tony. “What’s on the file, FRIDAY?” Rhodey asked.

 

_ ‘Plans for Peter’s trackers. They are practically useless for anyone that does not have a spider-sense like Peter does.’ _

 

Tony chuckled weakly and shook his head, “He’s smart. Sharing something with them only he can use? Good thinking, Pete.”

 

Rhodey squinted his eyes as he peered closer at the file. He opened the file and hummed, “This doesn’t look like something for a tracker.”

 

Tony looked over his shoulder, “Are those…”

 

Rhodey nodded, and maneuvered Tony’s arm so he could type into the hologram on the inventor’s sleeve. “Those are coordinates,” The Rocket Scientist confirmed, “No where are you, Pete. What did you send us?”

 

_ ‘Boss,’ _ FRIDAY interrupted,  _ ‘The highest match is at 96%.’ _

 

Tony turned back to look at the holographic image of Peter. Scared, and putting on a brave face. Tony wondered if he was doing the same thing right now. Had he gotten caught? Was he left to be alone for a few minutes before whoever had him came back for more information?

 

Did they even  _ need _ Peter for more information?

 

“Tones these coordinates…”

 

“What? What is it?” Tony asks, turning his head to where Rhodey was, but still not completely taking his eyes away from Peter. 

 

_ ‘The logo matches up with Bellum Industry, but they went out of business almost three years ago, Boss.’ _

 

Bellum? 

 

“Where do the coordinates match up?” Tony asked, finally turning to face his best friend completely. 

 

As soon as he looked down at his arm, he already knew what was wrong. Tony’s blood felt like ice, and he felt all the oxygen get sucked out of the room.  _ No… _

 

“Tony. The coordinates match up to right under us.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter of this plot is tomorrow! Up next? Day Five: Major Character Death.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading! Until next time!


	5. Day Five: Major Character Death

The end begins with this. SWAT, FBI, Military shutting down the tower. No one is getting in, and no one is getting out. Tony doesn’t e-mail his employees, because the fact that the people that have Peter have him in the basement means they had access to the system. He makes sure there are cameras in the air watching the roof, and he makes sure that the perimeter is surrounded. Cho and her team are standing by for Peter because there is a very little chance that Peter wasn’t injured.

 

He makes sure these people won’t get away.

 

He has his stealth suit on. All dark colors that made him frown the first time he put it on because the black and gray are so different from the red and gold he’s associated with. 

 

“All teams check in,” Rhodey orders into his com. All the team leaders, Tony, Pepper, Happy, and every other person on perimeter have one. One by one Tony listens as the teams check in- say they’re in position. That they’re ready, but Tony wonders if they really were.

 

“All teams accounted for. Begin retrieval process,” Rhodey says in his military-commander-voice. He looks over at Tony, nods in determination (or is it reassurance?), and then his face plate slides down. 

 

_ ‘Team Beta in position for retrieval process.’ _ Tony hears over the com. 

 

“Team Alpha, where are you on being on position?” Rhodey asks. 

 

There’s only static as an answer. Tony turns his gaze to his friend as he speaks into his own com sternly, “Team Alpha, are you in position?”

 

_ ‘Sorry, seemed we went into a blind spot. Team Alpha, in position.’ _

 

Tony glanced at Rhodey, and he could tell the other man was looking at him too. Tony knew that tower never had a spot that caused a lack of connection. Hell, he had free WiFi and a whole room set up for high school and college students to use. 

 

Rhodey types something in a holographic message. It’s directed to Team Gamma, and the genius knows that he’s telling them to go in behind where Team Alpha would be.

 

If Team Alpha was actually Team Alpha.

 

“Heading in in three, two…” Rhodey looked over at Tony in confirmation, only continuing when Tony nodded in confirmation, “One!” 

 

* * *

 

 

Turns out, Team Alpha has been taken down by Bellum’s men on the way to the location. Most of Team Gamma had been injured or killed by Bellum's men, and another team had split off to get them medical help. 

 

The fight was quick compared to others. It helped that it was in an enclosed space, and no one had to worry about the building crashing down because there was no way Tony would let that happen. There were so many safety measures built in, Pepper once joked about him building another Titanic. 

 

(He’ll never admit to pulling an all nighter planning that out.)

 

“FRIDAY, have you located Peter yet?” Tony asked, aiming his repulsor at a few people that were ganging up on a couple people from his own side. 

 

_ ‘Just did, Boss. Follow this line,’ _ FRIDAY responded. Tony blinked and a line the color of his arc reactor led the path to his kid. 

 

“Thanks, Baby Girl,” Tony replies, and started to work his way down the line. To Peter. “Send that over to Rhodey please?”

 

_ ‘Already done, Boss.’ _

 

Tony would have thanked her, but he got distracted by a dude literally throwing himself at the inventor. 

 

It was a solid five minutes later when Tony got to the door. Another minute until Rhodey joined him, watching his back while he pressed in the code to get into the room he used as a private lab back when he needed a place to store top-secret projects that doubled as an emergency safety bunker.

 

It’s ten seconds later (ten seconds that feel more like an eternity) that both men slip into the room. It’s a tiny room, and Tony only has to take three more steps to another room that needed another code. 

 

Tony turned to Rhodey, “Ready?”

 

At Rhodey’s nod, Tony quickly entered the code, and the two stormed into the room. “Nobody move!” Rhodey commanded.

 

The sight that Tony was met with made him growl,

horror taking root in his very being.

 

A man that Tony faintly remembered, who must have been the leader, was holding Peter up by the boy’s curls- a gun pointing at the kids heart. Peter was pale. His shirt was gone revealing a multitude of bruises that crawled up his neck and to his face. Scars were littered over his wrists and torso, making Tony wonder if what the kid’s back looked like. His eye were half lidded, and the parts of the eye Tony could see, were glazed and spaced out. A clear sign of Peter being drugged. 

 

“Put him down,” Tony hissed, aiming his repulsor at the man, “ _ Now. _ ”

 

“Alright-” The man chuckled, pulling on Peter’s hair even harder causing a quiet whine to emit from Peter- “We already got what we wanted from him anyways.”

 

Tony knew what was about to happen a second before it did. He roared, shooting his repulser at the man, but even that noise wasn’t enough to stop the ringing of a gunshot from reaching his ears. Time seemed to slow down as Tony watched Peter collapse to the floor. He landed on his stomach, and Tony’s breath stuttered when he saw the blood coming from his chest. 

 

Against better thinking, and Tony knew that he’d be getting a mouthful from Rhodey for this later, Tony exited his suit, and sprinted over to Peter. “No- kid!” He fell to his knees, gently turning Peter onto his back so he could put pressure onto the gunshot wound. It had hit about an inch below his heart. 

 

“We need medical on sight, immediately!” Tony heard Rhodey say into his coms, but it sounded like his friend was under water. 

 

“Peter, please, please- stay with me, kid. You’re not allowed to leave me, not so soon, not ever. Peter, please,” Tony begged, pressing harder to the wound. Peter met Tony’s eyes, and Tony felt his heart skip a beat. They were still glassy, but Peter’s eyes, his wide Bambi eyes, always held so much emotion in them normally. A whirlwind of pain (And was that a hint of remorse? What did Peter have to be sorry for?) were stormed behind the glossiness of Peter’s brown eyes.

 

“ _ Please, Peter. _ ”

 

His eyes closed just as the paramedics rushed into the room.

 

* * *

 

 

Two hours. That’s how long it had been since Peter had gone into surgery. Tony had insisted on watching from the theatre. He wasn’t about to let Peter out of his sight again for a long,  _ long _ , time. Rhodey, Happy, and Pepper had joined. May was out of state for work, and couldn’t get out of it. The woman had made Tony swear that he would update her on Peter’s condition every half hour.

 

Tony stared at the wall just below the glass, not looking away except the times he would flicker his eyes up to make sure Peter was still there. He couldn’t get the image of Peter out of his head. Weak, held in the hands of a man who had shot him. Falling, on the ground with blood pooling around him.

 

Rhodey had forced him to take a shower before going to watch over the surgery. In the back of Tony’s mind, he appreciated what his best friend had done. Peter’s blood wasn’t on his hands anymore (but Tony could still feel it. He knew the blood would never be washed off completely), nor was there any blood on Tony’s clothing. 

 

Tony was reaching into his pocket so he could pull out his phone in order to update May on the situation when the worst sound that he’d ever heard reached his ears.

 

A flatline.

 

Tony snapped his head up. “No…” He whispered, standing up to get a better view, even though that was the last thing he wanted/needed at the moment (He just needed to be on the couch watching a movie with Peter, with his  _ son _ ), “No, no, no, no-”

 

“Tony,” Pepper gently consoled, reaching a hand out to rest on her fiancé’s shoulder.

 

Tony just shook his head, and watched as the doctors and nurses rushed to rescue Peter from falling into a place where he shouldn’t ever be going to. “Peter, No!” He yelled, pulling away from Pepper to stand right up against the glass.

 

That was Peter. That was Tony’s kid. His kid that shouldn’t be having to fight to survive. To breath, or pump blood, or open his eyes. The kid who pretended to be Thor in the mirror, and helped people find where they needed to go on patrol. His kid that was full of  _ life _ . Running, walking, climbing, and laughing at dumb puns. 

 

That was Peter.

 

And he had just flatlined. 

 

Peter wasn’t supposed to flat line. He wasn’t supposed to go before Tony. Before May. He wasn’t supposed to go,  _ period _ .

 

“Tony, I’m so sorry,” Rhodey voiced from behind. 

 

Tony closed his eyes, ducking his head as ears fell down his cheeks even though he felt numbness sweep over him. This wasn’t meant to happen. It just couldn’t be happening. 

 

Then, just as Tony turned away from the glass, planning on stepping out in the hallway to call May, because  _ God _ that women was strong, but Tony didn’t know how she was going to take this, he heard something that made him stop in his tracks. 

 

“Tony-” Pepper gasped, and grabbed his wrist. 

 

Tony turned around, looking back into the operation. He let out a disbelieving chuckle. He was an idiot to think that Peter would lose this fight. Not when he had a fighting chance. 

 

Because Peter’s heart was beating again. 

 

And that’s all that mattered.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This marks the end of this little plot line, so yay! 
> 
> Up next? Day Six: Torture.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Until next time!


	6. Day Six: Torture

“Mr. Stark, no!” Peter protested, attempting to fight his way out of the hands of his captors. His wrist and neck were bound with chains that made Peter feel weak, and every time one of the men pulled on a chain, Peter was forced to go in that direction. He was only in his jeans, a small mercy but it still made Peter thank his lucky stars, and his shoes had been thrown somewhere along with his backpack.

 

“Peter!” Mr. Stark yelled, fighting against his own chains that trapped him to the wall, “Get your hands  _ off of him! _ ”

 

“Oh, Stark-” Man number one chuckled- “You are in no place to be making demands right now.”

 

Mr. Stark growled, but stopped as he turned his eyes to Peter. Fierce determination was aimed at the teen, and for a second, just a second, Peter stopped struggling. “It’s okay, Pete. Help is coming.”

 

“Right,” Man numbed one stayed dryly, “Help isn’t coming. Try not to lie to the kid. False hope will make everything worse in the long run.” The man turned his head to the people holding Peter down, “Put him in the box.”

 

“What bo-” Peter chokes as the men restraining him force him into a glass box that had risen from the floor while they were distracted. The chains are taken off, only leaving the metal cuffs themselves, and he’s shoved into the box before he can defend himself or catch his ground. Peter groaned, rubbing his neck when he felt the… the  _ collar _ shift around it. He opens his eyes, and his breath hitches as process what he sees.

 

Nothing. He sees  _ nothing _ . It’s pitch black. Peter tried to put his hand in front of his face, and he still can’t even manage to see that. 

 

He lets out a terrified gasp, and is driven into more of a panic when he realized that he couldn’t even here his own voice. The collar must have done something, and Peter hopes that it can be reversed when (if… if they got out, a little part of Peter’s mind whispers) they got out. He realizes that the box he was in was meant to be a sensory deprivation chamber.

 

Peter was almost ashamed to admit that it was working. 

 

He stumbled into his feet, “No, no, no, please. Not this.”

 

No this because Peter was suddenly in his own world. A world of silence and void. A world of nothing. The darkness reminded Peter if the warehouse, and the silence reminded him of the dark days that he had just after Ben died. The days of suffocating loneliness and depression. Of numbness and self loathing.

 

Nothing, nothing,  _ nothing _ .

 

Peter took three steps forward with his arms out, “Mr. St-” He screamed as electricity traveled up his wrists to the rest of his body. The pain felt a hundred times worse than what it normally would be because two of his main senses were MIA. 

 

It felt like an hour had passed until the pain stopped, leaving Peter to breathe ragged gasps of pain that he couldn’t hear on the ground. “Please, help-” he tried after taking a minute to regain control of his breathing, but released another scream as electricity spread throughout his being. He felt the back of his head hit the ground, and blood drip out of his mouth as he bit his tongue. 

 

_ ‘Stop!’ _ Peter wanted to yell,  _ ‘Please, stop! It hurts!’ _ But the only thing he could do was wait out the constant pain. 

 

It seemed endless.

 

And yet Peter just wanted it to end.

 

  * ••



 

Tony fought against the chains around his wrist, knowing that they’d be raw, but not caring because they had  _ Peter _ . They had Peter, and they had just thrown him into the box like an  _ animal. _ Like that wasn’t the kindest boy in the world they had just trapped. 

 

“Why did you throw him in there?” Tony growled at the man.

 

The man just chuckled, “Oh you’ll see, Stark. You’ll see.”

 

Tony watched intently as Peter got up with a groan. He watched, confusion growing as he saw panic dawn on Peter’s face. “No, no, no, please. Not this-” Peter stammered, continuing to mutter our jumbled words that Tony couldn’t make out.

 

_ “What did you do?” _ Tony hissed. “What did you do to him?!

 

The man smirked, and looked from Tony, to Peter, and then back to Tony. “That box-” He made a wide gesture to the box that held a still panicking Peter- “is one of the best sensory deprivation tanks ever made. That boy can’t see anything but darkness, and the color restricts all noise he might make. Every single wall in the box is sound absorbent.”

 

That sounded like the exact opposite of what Peter thrived in. Peter was noise. People talking and laughing while walking around. He had grown up in the loud city. Tony remembered the time where Peter explained that he needed music to fall asleep because he was just so used to noise that the absence of it made him anxious. Tony had no idea what was going through the kid’s genius mind of his at the moment. Going from hearing more than the normal person to hearing nothing must have been terrifying.

 

“Let him go,” Tony whispered, eyes stuck on the form of Peter’s trembling figure, “Let him go! He has nothing to do with any of this!”

 

The man frowned, obviously deciding that it was finally time to start whatever ‘business’ he had originally planned, “Where is Thor?”

 

“What?” Tony asked, caught off guard by the question. He had expected weapons, money, or even old SHIELD documents. Not the whereabouts on an actual  _ God _ . 

 

Apparently, the man didn’t like Tony’s answer all that much, because he pressed a single button on a small, sleek remote he had hidden in the palm of his hand. Tony’s eyes snapped from the man to Peter.

 

Peter who was now screaming and writhing in pain on the ground of the box. The sound that Peter was releasing was haunting, and Tony had no doubt that the sound (and the sight) would haunt him for months to come. It was a sound that Tony never imagined coming out of Peter- so pained and tortured.

 

“No, Pe- stop it! Stop hurting him!” Tony shouted at the man as he strained against his bonds. 

 

The button was released, and Peter lay still on the ground. The only reassurance Tony had that the kid wasn’t dead, was the ragged breaths Peter was managing out. “Then tell me where Thor is,” The Man ordered once again. 

 

“I swear, I don’t  _ know _ ,” Tony answered, praying to whoever was listening that the man would believe him. Honestly, Tony didn’t know where the God was. He had arrived at the compound six weeks ago with Loki (although the public didn’t know that detail yet), a Valkyrie that went by the name Brunnhilde, and Bruce. Then, about three weeks ago, Tony had woken up to the notification that Thor was going to go handle something with his people. 

 

Thing is, Tony didn’t know where Thor’s ‘people’ were.

 

“Wrong answer,” The man answered, pressing the button on that damn remote again. Tony squeezed his eyes shut at the sound of Peter’s scream.

 

“Stop it,” Tony whispered, cursing himself for how weak he sounded. “Stop it! You’ll kill him!” He repeated louder.

 

The man’s frown deepened. He let go of the button, and squinted his eyes at Peter, “Some kid, you got… Impressive, but not as impressive as what I want. So I’ll ask again-” He raised hi finger over the button again- “Where. Is.  _ Thor _ ?”

 

“I told you,” Tony ground out, hating himself for what was coming next, “I don’t know. Why do you want to know anyway?”

 

“Because I want that hammer. Once I get it, I’ll be worthy of the title as King! I’ll be a God!” The man admitted with a shiver inducing cackle, “Anyone… everyone who has ever wronged me! They will beg and plead for mercy, and I won’t give it to them. Everyone will worship me! I’ll be a king!”

 

Tony gapped at the man, trying to process the crazy answer, “You’re delusional.”

 

“No,” The man growled, “I’m a visionary.”

 

He pressed the button again.

 

  * ••



 

When Rhodey crashes his way into the room, blasting down the delusional man in anger, Tony only has his sights set on one person. 

 

Peter.

 

“Tones,” Rhodey starts, “Hey, I got you-”

 

“Peter,” Tony cuts him off. He could apologize later, right now his kid was collapsed in that  _ damn box _ , and the last time he had been shocked there was no scream. 

 

“Rhodey,” Brunnhilde cut in, “The child.”

 

Tony’s friend turns and his eyes widen at the sight of Peter, “Oh my God… Get him out of there.”

 

“No, don’t,” Tony objected, “That’s a sensory deprivement box, and you know how his senses are. What did you get here with?”

 

“One of the Quinjets,” Rhodey answered, realization dawning on his face. “I’ll go get his mask.” His friend finished getting him out of the cuffs, gave him one last once over, and then rushed out of the room. Even he knew how Peter would react to everything coming back at once. It wasn’t rocket science.

 

Tony scrambled to the box in the middle of the room, ignoring Brunnhilde’s looks. He put a hand on the glass, right next to where Peter’s head was resting. The kid’s face as pale and gleaming with sweat. Tony could see the small tremors the kid had, and the raw skin under the cuffs on his wrist. “Don’t worry, Kid,” Tony whispered even though he knew Peter couldn’t hear him, “We’re getting you out.”

 

Brunnhilde put a reassuring hand on Tony’s shoulder. “You’re going to be okay, Pete. You’re going to be fine.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Hey people, just an update to let you know that this series is officially one day behind. Other than that, everything is going great. I auditioned for my school musical and did okay. 
> 
> Up next? Day Seven: Imprisoned.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Don't forget to favorite, follow, review, and all that fun stuff. Until next time!


	7. Day Seven: Imprisoned

PTSD, Peter knew, never really went away. He had first learned about it when he was nine. After he looked up the diagnosis for nightmares and night terrors that never went away. For why he reacted so violently to being called something as simple as  _ ‘Einstein’ _ , and how sometimes he would catch himself washing himself so roughly in the shower that his skin was become raw. 

 

As Peter’s life continued, he found himself connecting many events that happened in his life to his growing anxiety. From three of his parental figures dying before he even turned sixteen, to building collapsing on him, crashing a plane that was  _ on fire _ , and literally dying.

 

Being imprisoned by Ross for a three weeks, five days, and six hours (Mr. Stark had told him when he had asked after he had woken up) just added to Peter’s growing list. 

 

There were so many things that were different now. The raft had changed Peter just like the Soul Stone had. Ross had deliberately set the lights in Peter’s cell to the same orange-red color from the stone to freak him out. It was always cold, and Peter had little choice but to stay curled up in a corner for warmth with a blanket so thin it was more like a sheet. 

 

For instance, Peter absolutely hated running on a treadmill. He could stand seeing them, even though it made his anxiety spike a little before slowly lowering, but the first time he had tried using one after Ross he had had a full on panic attack. The second time, he had forced himself to continue until he had passed out because  _ there was no stopping stopping meant punishment and animals like Peter didn’t deserve breaks anyway _ . 

 

Peter hadn’t used one since, and no one had forced him to use one. He ran around the indoor track, or the park with Mr. Rogers. Just no treadmills. Not again. Not so soon.

 

He also didn’t spe- didn’t talk as much. The silence threw everyone off, Peter realized this but he just couldn’t bring himself to talk as much as he did, and forced everyone else to fill the silence Peter usually naturally filled. The first couple days after Peter had gotten back were the days he didn’t speak at all. He just nodded, shook his head, or shrugged his shoulders. Slowly, Mr. Stark and May had coaxed Peter to speak, but it was still only one worded answers or short sentences. A full week had passed after Peter’s rescue before Tony noticed that Peter only spoke when spoken to. 

 

So they made sure to always speak to him. Ask him questions, and make sure that he always,  _ always _ knew that he could speak whenever he wanted to. That he was never not allowed to speak his mind or express his opinions. (It was still hard because it had been drilled into him that when he spoke without permission there would be punishment. The order of  _ ‘Speak’ _ made Peter flinch even if he just overheard as he was walking by the park.)

 

Another thing Peter had a hard time doing now was looking people in the eyes. He never looked people in the eyes while talking, either staring at the floor, the wall behind the person, or the spot just above the person’s eyes. The fact that he was at the compound that housed people who could read him like an open book by looking into his eyes made him uncomfortable. He didn’t want them seeing how broken he was, or the self hating thoughts that ruled his mind. 

 

The others would gently remind Peter that it was alright to look them in the eyes, but never forced him. He was taught that looking into eyes was for normal humans, and Peter was too far from humans to be given that privilege. 

 

Anything around his neck made him want to scream, and flinch away. Sometimes, Peter would wake up from nightmares to Tony or someone else holding his wrists down because he’d been scratching and tearing his neck apart in his sleep. Something that was dangerous to someone that had super strength. A necklace, or a hand on his neck made Peter go back to the dark memories of a shock collar forced around his neck. Of the pain that came with “punishment” from breaking the rules. Of the humiliation that burned through his body when Ross pointed out that an animal like Peter needed a collar to remind him that he was owned.

 

The day that Mr. Stark and the others had rescued him was much quieter than what he thought it would have been. He had been curled up on the poor excuse of a bed when Tony had burst through the door in his Iron Man suit. The Black Widow and Vision had lead the two guards that were station in front of Peter’s cell out of the room, being read their rights the entire time. 

 

Mr. Stark had quickly exited out of his suit to reveal the wrinkly clothes associated with the lab, before rushing his was over to Peter’s cell. He had pressed pressed in the six digit combination, before pacing over to Peter and pulling him into a hug- whispering how he had missed Peter so much, and that Ross was never going to even  _ see  _ Peter again. 

 

Peter was tense for several seconds before relaxing into his father-figures arms, and let out quiet sobs. Tony smelled like home. He felt like safety and comfort and all thing Peter had missed during his days on the Raft. 

 

Later on, Peter would learn that the Avengers had gathered so much information about Ross, that he was getting a dishonorable discharge, and was being arrested for a number of things. Peter couldn’t bring himself to care- he just wanted all of the memories of Ross gone. He wanted to never hear the name again. 

 

Imprisonment, Peter figured out, was just going to be added to the long list of traumatic events that he had lived through. This time though was different. This time he was set up with a therapist that would help him. That would work with him to find out ways that would help him handle it instead of the unhealthy habits that he used to do.

 

This time, Peter knew, he had people on his side.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so short, I'm not feeling that well, but I also really wanted to push this chapter out.
> 
> Up Next? Day Eight: Bullied
> 
> Thanks for reading! Until next time!


	8. Day Eight: Bullied

It started when Peter entered the penthouse through the window as he was getting back from a late night patrol. He was staying with Tony over the weekend, and because of that, Peter had told his mentor that he would get to the tower on his own after he was finished with patrol. 

 

“Hey, Mr. Stark!” Peter smiled as he pulled his mask off, and threw his bag on the couch. “Are we working in the lab tonight?”

 

Tony chuckled, finally looking up from his phone, “Hey, Kid. I was think- woah. Where’d that shiner come from?” His face transformed from a relaxed state, to a frown. The wrinkle line between the man’s eyebrows appearing- making the concern Mr. Stark felt known to whoever cared to look.

 

“Huh?” Peter voiced, bringing his hand up to his eye. He winced when his fingers came into contact with the bruised skin around his eye. “O-Oh. Just something that happened on patrol.”

 

“Something that happened on patrol?” Tony repeated skeptically, his eyebrow raised showing that he didn’t believe the younger boy one bit. He put his phone back in his pocket and rested his elbows on his knees. “And what exactly  _ happened on patrol _ ?”

 

Peter shifted on his feet, awkward at the prospect of suddenly being in the spotlight. “Th-There was a kid who was getting tossed around. I helped out as Spider-Man.”

 

“Uhuh…” Tony mumbled, “And did you manage to catch this kid’s name?”

 

Peter frowned, twisting the mask in hands. He couldn’t believe that Mr. Stark didn’t believe him. Peter had opened up to his mentor about his…  _ issue _ with Flash, so he didn’t expect Mr. Stark to think Peter was lying! “I-I think his name was… his name was Jorge?”

 

“Think?”

 

“I know, okay? I know his name was Jorge,” Peter huffs, running his hand through hair and looking down at the floor. What was Mr. Stark’s  _ problem _ ? 

 

“And what were the other kids doing?” Tony asked.

 

“They were older dudes! I dunno what they were going to do! I just know that they were trouble!” Peter huffed, and turned his eyes to the hallway. He let out a frustrated sigh, and ran his hand through his hair again, “Whatever. I’m gonna go get changed.”

 

“Yeah, you go do that.”

 

Peter rolled his eyes once he was sure Tony wouldn’t see, and walked to go get changed. If Tony was going to use every detail Peter told him  _ against _ him… maybe he should just stop telling him these kind of things. 

 

It would sure be easier that way. 

 

Showers after patrol were always a bit hotter than necessary. It was something from his bad days (the dark days after Skip, and what happened with Uncle Ben) that he never grew out of. Peter always saw…  _ things _ during patrol, and the hotter-than-necessary showers always seemed to wash everything away. 

 

After his shower, Peter slowly changed into his pajamas. Maybe it was because he wanted to put off talking to Mr. Stark. Maybe it was because he was tired. The world would never know. 

 

He checked his phone as he walked back to the common room, and scrolled through the Decathlon group chat. Practice, practice, Flash teasing and then being put in his place my MJ, practice, memes, more practice, tea being spilt… 

 

The usual. The normal.

 

Peter loved normal. He’d taken it for granted before, but he treasured the small moments of normalcy when he got them. 

 

When he walked back to the common room, Mr. Stark was back on the couch. He elbows were resting on his knees, with his hands clasped and supporting his chin. The man was staring into the coffee table like it had hidden the answer to a question he had been working on for years.

 

“Mr. Stark?” Peter called out. He may have been upset with his mentor, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t care about the man’s wellbeing. “Mr. Stark is everything alright?”

 

Mr. Stark jumped slightly, and quickly turned his head in Peter’s direction. The billionaire must have been deep into thought to not notice Peter’s appearance. “Yeah, Kid. Just-” He pursed his lips, and huffed before gesturing to the seat next to him. “Can we talk? Please?”

 

It was a question. Not one of those  _ ‘It sounds like I’m asking you, but this is actually an order and I will be upset if you don’t follow said order’ _ . Peter was being given a choice. a choice where he could say yes or no without any repercussions. On one hand, Peter really didn’t feel like having any heart to hearts at the moment. But on the other hand, he could tell that if he said no to Mr. Stark it would only build up a wall Peter had just managed to get through. 

 

So Peter nodded slightly, “Yeah. Sure.” He made his way over to the couch and sat next to his mentor. He turned to give Mr. Stark his full attention, and folded his legs so he was sitting criss-cross. 

 

It was silent for several seconds. Peter wasn’t making eye contact with Tony, choosing to instead look down at his hands that were twisting his shirt nervously. He could see his mentor open and close his mouth a few times- trying to decide on what to say. 

 

“I checked KAREN’s footage,” Mr. Stark finally admitted, looking sheepish. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”

 

Peter nodded, but still didn’t look up. Mr. Stark hadn’t trusted him enough without using the Baby Monitor protocol? Cool. Great. Amazing. One hundred percent okay. 

 

_ Not _ .

 

“Kid?” Tony spoke gently, craning his neck to look into Peter’s eyes. “What’s going on in that genius brain of yours?”

 

Peter hesitated. Would it bother Mr. Stark if he actually told the man what was wrong? Would it change something in the mentor/mentee relationship that they had going on? “Why…” Peter took a deep breath to calm his nerves, “Why didn’t you believe me?”

 

Tony blinked, mouth pursing and eyebrows folding into that worrying motion once more. “I don’t know,” He admits, “I think- no, I know- that it’s because I was worried. Yes, I know that doesn’t give me an excuse not to trust you, and I  _ do _ trust you, Peter. I swear, I do trust you. And I’m so sorry that I didn’t take your word for it.”

 

Peter had looked up to stare into Mr. Stark’s worries eyes when the man had reassured that he trusted him. He saw the most raw honesty that he recognized from when he and May had the serious talks. The look of vulnerability of laying everything on the table, and trusting the other person with the knowledge they were handing out. It was a look Peter didn’t think he’d see on Mr. Stark. 

 

“Okay,” Peter whispers.

 

“Okay?” The crinkle between Mr. Stark’s eyes is still there, but know his eyes are wide. 

 

Peter nods, “I- I mean. It’s not  _ okay _ . But I forgive you. You were just worried. I get it, May gets like this too sometimes.”

 

Oh my God, did he just compare Mr. Stark to his Aunt May out loud? And to his mentor’s face? 

 

Mr. Stark just chuckled, his shoulders relaxing and a relieved smile making his way onto his face. “Thanks, Kiddo-” He pats Peter on the shoulder- “Good work on patrol by the way. How was that churro you got?”

 

Peter groaned, hiding his smiling face into the palms of his face. It had been a pretty good churro.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for lack of updates everyone! I'll be back on schedule soon. 
> 
> Next? Day Nine: Coma
> 
> Thanks for reading! Until next time!


	9. Day Nine: Coma

All Tony knows in those first few moments is panic. Pure, raw panic that he feels through his very core. Winding throughout his body, and making him vibrate as Happy rushed him back to the compound. This couldn’t have happened. It was some sick joke that the universe was playing on him. 

 

Because Rhodey could not have picked Peter up from a patrol gone horribly wrong. Peter could not have gotten shot three times. Tony could not have not gotten the call because the meeting he had been in didn’t allow phones. Because Peter was not in a  _ fucking coma _ .

 

And because the last conversation Tony had had with the kid  _ had most definitely not been a stupid argument _ .

 

* * *

 

Peter was still. He wasn’t supposed to be still. He was supposed to be hand movements during a conversation. He was supposed to be nervous energy expressed through combing his fingers through his hair, or twisting his shirt. Peter was jumping around when he was excited, and swinging through buildings. 

 

Peter was quiet too. Peter Parker was not made for quiet. Gems made for shouting answers on stage during Academic Decathlon. For mumbling to himself in broken sentences in the lab because he brain worked too quickly for his words to even hope to catch up. He was talking so quickly about his day that Tony had almost thought it was another superpower. 

 

Peter was neither quiet nor still. And yet he was now both of those things. 

 

Tony seemed to float over to the chair beside Peter’s med bay bed. He couldn’t seem to focus on anything else in the room but the kid. But his kid. 

 

His too still and too quiet kid. 

 

“Peter,” He choked out, “Peter- Kiddo.” He grasped Peter’s hand tightly, his index finger right over Peter’s reassuring pulse. Even if the heart monitor was beating steadily, Tony needed that pulse under his finger tips. 

 

“They don’t know when he’s going to wake up,” Rhodey unformed from behind Tony. “They say a few days but…”

 

“But if it wasn’t Peter he’d be dead,” Tony finished, his gaze not moving from Peter’s too still face.

 

“The kid has some healing,” Rhodey mumbled, squeezing Tony’s shoulder in comfort. 

 

_ ‘Yeah,’ _ Tony thinks,  _ ‘Some healing.’ _

* * *

 

Tony doesn’t move from Peter’s side unless he’s forced to go shower. He’d had a cot brought in so he could get a more comfortable place to rest, but otherwise he never left Peter’s room. 

 

He worked next to Peter’s side, complaining about problems like Peter was awake. Like he wasn’t too still and too quiet. 

 

Tony talked to the kid too. Auditory functions were the first to heal after all, but Tony could never be to sure with Peter’s healing abilities. More likely, the kid’s healing ability was focusing on the three bullet holes in Peter’s lower back, torso, and chest. 

 

Tony despised how much this situation was out of control. 

 

* * *

 

“Hey, Kiddo,” Tony starts, rubbing his thumb over the back of Peter’s hand, “It’s been three days already. I think you’ve slept long enough.”

 

It’s actually been three days, five hours, and twenty-seven minutes. Tony doesn’t say that out loud though.

 

“Y’know, things are so quiet around here… I really miss your voice. I never actually realized how much you brighten a room,” Tony buries his head into the thin bed sheets.

 

“Everything’s dim right now.”

 

* * *

 

“They said you might not be able to walk,” Tony scoffs, “One of the bullets, it hit your spine- but still. Even if everyone else says you can’t walk, I’m going to build you some legs to help. Just like Rhodey’s. Except yours will be red and blue.”

 

Tony pulls up a holo-screen from his watch, “I’m going to start now. Just so I have more than ideas to show if-” Tony falters- “If you really aren’t able to walk by yourself.”

 

He looks over at the too still and too quiet Peter, grasping his hand once again, “We’ll be with you every step of the way.” Tony chuckled, “Sorry, bad choice of words I guess, but you know what I mean.”

 

There was no laugh or giggle like there usually would be. Tony sighed, squeezing Peter’s too still hand, “Wake up, Peter. We… I really miss you.”

 

  * ••



 

“So we’re on day five now are we?” Tony muttered, making a few changes on the things that would help Peter walk. It was precaution, as they wouldn’t know if Peter was paralyzed from the waist down until he woke up. The legs would also have to be different, as Peter’s body was very different from Rhodey’s. Peter also needed to be able to move quickly and like a dancer or gymnast. 

 

Tony would do it. He’d do anything for his kid. 

 

“If you’re trying to prove something to me, Kid, you’ve definitely done so. Bravo, you’ve won. You have bested Tony Stark,” Tony started at Peter’s face. Hoping that  _ something  _ would change. That Peter wouldn’t be too still or too quiet anymore. 

 

That he’d wake up.

 

* * *

 

It’s on the sixth day that Tony finally cries. He’d been holding his tears back for some reason he didn’t know, but on the sixth day of Peter being too still and too quiet… Tony cries.

 

It’s quiet, and barely controlled. It’s like he’s subconsciously trying to hide his cries, because the one person that could comfort him is in a coma, and he’s not waking up.

 

“I’m so sorry, Peter,” Tony says in between sobs. “I didn’t mean anything I said. I don’t care if you want to go to college or not- well I do, but I won’t force you to go to one you don’t want to. 

 

“I don’t know why you’d ever think I would replace you after you leave. I don’t know how you think I  _ could _ replace you, Pete. You’re my kid. You make everything so much more alive. I couldn’t ever replace you with someone else.”

 

Tony clutches Peter’s too still hand with both of his trembling ones. He bites his lip in attempt to keep the sobs at bay, and brings Peter’s hand to rest over his heart, “You feel this kid? That’s my heart. Make sure yours keeps beating  _ better _ than mine.”

 

_ (“Why do you even care where I go?! I’m just some charity case you’ll replace as soon as you get the chance! You’ll forget about me as soon as some other kid comes along!”) _

 

“Don’t think for a moment that I could ever,  _ ever  _ forget you. You are so special, Peter. Now wake up so you can listen to me tell you this.”

 

Peter remains too still and too quiet.

 

* * *

 

 

Day nine and Tony is playing one of Peter’s playlist quietly in his room. It’s the kid’s comfort playlist. The days where his mood and low. Where he needs a recharge, and just a day to be not good. 

 

_ ‘Once I rise above the noise and confusion, just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion…’ _

 

(Even then Peter twitches and plays with the fuzzy blanket he loves. Even then Peter will mumble a one worded answer or nod. Peter his noise and movement. Most of the time it’s both. Sometimes it’s only one. It’s never neither.)

 

_ ‘ I hear the voices when I’m dreaming. I can hear them say…’ _

 

Rhodey comes in with Tony’s food. A sandwich since he can’t stomach anything more solid than that with the damn knot in his stomach. It’s a grilled cheese- Tony’s comfort food from back in his MIT days. Rhodey knows all Tony’s quirks. 

 

“Any changes?” Tony’s best friend wonders. 

 

_ ‘Masquerading as a man with a reason. My charade is the event of the season.’ _

 

Tony knows Rhodey already knows the answer, but he still humors his friend. “No,” He answers with a shake of his head, “Not yet.”

 

Rhodey sighs, “Come on Pete. We’re here for you.” The man runs his hand through Peter’s messy curls. “You’ve got this. You’re safe.”

 

_ ‘Tossed about like I’m a ship on the ocean. I set sail for winds of fortune…’ _

 

Tony jumps as Peter’s heart eats a little faster. “Peter? Peter can you hear me? Peter, please, please wake up.”

 

Rhodey runs out of the room to get a doctor. They could tell FRIDAY, but they didn’t know if her voice would scare Peter anymore. 

 

_ ‘Carry on my wayward son. There’ll be peace when you are done.’ _

 

Tony holds Peter’s hand in one of his, and runs his hand through his hair with the other, “I’m here, Kid. I’m right here.”

 

_ ‘Lay your weary head to rest…’ _

 

“I’m not going anywhere.”

 

_ ‘Don’t you cry no more.’ _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Up Next? Day Ten: Head Trauma
> 
> Thanks for reading! Until next time!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading! Come give me other prompts on my Tumblr @peterneedsahugparker! Until next time!


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